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Brighton - The Canada Cuba Literary Alliance is calling on all poets and prose writers to help save Al Purdy's Robin Lake home in Prince Edward County.

Submissions of poems or postcard prose are being accepted to help raise funds to purchase the A-frame house built by Purdy and poet Milton Acorn.

"Al Purdy is considered an icon of Canadian poetry, and in particular the most famous people's poet,' says CCLA president and Brighton resident Richard Grove.

Submitted work will be used in two chapters of the anthology, "Purdy Country."

"Purdy Country is the Quinte area, including down to Ameliasburgh where he had his A-frame house," Grove said.

The first chapter, edited by R.D. Roy, is open to submissions of poems and prose about Purdy or work that mentions the famous poet. The second chapter, edited by John B. Lee, covers the "Purdy country" area.

"It covers a lot of area," Grove said. "The editor is accepting poems from across the country. Al Purdy literally travelled across the country and lived in places from B.C. to Trenton."

The CCLA is hoping to publish between 50 and 75 poems and prose in each chapter. The deadline for submissions is Dec. 1.

Purdy was born in Wooler in 1918. Throughout his career as a poet he earned the Governor General's Award for Poetry twice. He was also awarded the Order of Canada and the Order of Ontario for his career as a writer. He died in 2000.

Purdy's wife Eurithe had planned to sell the A-frame home. However, longtime friend Jean Baird created the A-frame trust in an attempt to raise funds to purchase the home. Grove said that 100 per cent of the profits from "Purdy Country" will be donated to the trust.

"As far as I understand they are planning on turning the house into a writers' retreat," Grove said.

For more information on submissions to "Purdy Country" visit canadacubaliteraryalliance.org.